“The best Texas barbecue—a little less than an hour south of Austin. Everyone says brisket is king in Texas, and yes, it is, but in the Hill Country, beef sausage is king!” —Ford Fry, JCT Kitchen, Atlanta

COI San Francisco. 415-393-9000 Specialty: Kelp and Squid-Ink Pasta

“An experience like no other in the world. Beautiful, eccentric, and soulful, in sync with all of the best products of Northern California, and with a modern poetic vibe that only chef Daniel Patterson can speak.” —Elizabeth Falkner, chef at Krescendo, Brooklyn, NY and author of “Cooking Off The Clock”

DANIEL New York. 212-288-0033 Specialty: Black Sea Bass In Syrah

“I had such an incredible dinner at Daniel that he may have singlehandedly salvaged my opinion of fine dining ... Expert, delicious, exciting, and very, very beautiful. No palate fatigue whatsoever! We asked to have wine paired, and it was the best pairing I’ve ever had.” —Gabrielle Hamilton, Prune, New York

“Chef Sean Brock cooks with such a distinctive point of view that you can’t help but fall in love with the flavors of the Low Country.” —Michael Anthony, Gramercy Tavern, New York

KAFANA New York. 212-353-8000 Specialty: Cevapi With Onions

“Kafana, a Yugoslavian delight in the East Village, is focused, unwavering, and explicitly Serbian-Croatian, with grilled meats and chopped, crunchy, fresh salads. The staff is fast and sharp, and no one around you at the tables is speaking English; you feel as if you’ve just wandered into a popular, bustling, low-key supper club in a bohemian neighborhood of Dubrovnik.” —Gabrielle Hamilton, Prune, New York

“Chef de cuisine Jeremiah Langhorne is young, inventive, a force to be reckoned with. Who else can serve something as simple as Southern rice and have it be ethereal? It was butter-steamed rice. That’s it ... except it was transcendent.” —Hugh Acheson, Five & Ten, Athens, Ga.

“It’s truly a New York restaurant par excellence with all of David Chang’s identity. It rocks, it’s noisy, it really fits into its urban milieu. There are the wonderful buns—Chinese brioches—and the spicy noodles with spinach and peanuts, which are served icy cold. Really intense.” —Inaki Aizpitarte, Le Châteaubriand, Paris

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OSTERIA Philadelphia. 215-763-0920 Specialty: Fresh Pasta

“I always wanted to go to Marc Vetri’s restaurants and finally got a chance a few weeks ago. This is one of those places that makes you feel like you are right back in Italy.” —Brandon McGlamery, Prato, Winter Park, Fla.

PARM New York . 212-993-7189 Specialty: ‘Italian Thanksgiving’

“I love their take on Italian-American cuisine. They do a spectacular job of combining the charm of classic dishes with the polish of modern New York food. The setting is very familial—small, intimate, and just delicious. Simple but inventive, classic but new.” —Daniel Humm, Eleven Madison Park, New York

Courtesy of Parm

SPQR San Francisco. 415-771-7779 Specialty: Ricotta Gnudi

“Chef Matt Accarrino has the best pasta in San Francisco, and Shelley Lindgren is one of my favorite sommeliers. Their attention to detail in the service, food, and amazing wines will blow anyone away.” —Elizabeth Falkner, chef at Krescendo, Brooklyn, NY and author of “Cooking Off The Clock”